8 Holiday party ideas for busy moms
You signed up to help with the winter class party back in September, when you were riding the back-to-school energy wave. Now you’re scrambling to get your own shopping done, plus you’re hosting family for what feels like half the month. Try our holiday party ideas and make this year’s class party simple, adorable — and easy to plan in just a couple of days.
[scrollGallery ID=191]Scrumptious snacks
The Oreo Penguins from Passion for Savings look more complicated than they are — we promise. Grab your favorite type of Oreo and make a quick trip down the baking aisle, and you’ll have everything you need. Kids will love how cute they are, and you can serve them as a snack or tie them into little cellophane bags as a take-home treat.
The Santa Hat Brownies from Daisy’s World are adorable and sweet. We love that she combines both store-bought and from-scratch elements in these little treats. There’s even a printable gift tag with the recipe information, which might come in handy at a class party when the other moms ask how you made them.
Dukes & Duchesses offers Snowmen on a Stick, a simple treat moms can pre-assemble at home and easily transport to school. We love the details on this one, from the little “carrot” nose and sweet red scarf.
Some schools frown upon too many sweets during class parties, but getting little ones excited about fruit isn’t always easy. These amazing Grinch Fruit Kabobs from Clean and Scentsible are fun enough kids will forget they’re filled with healthy ingredients. Be sure to click through — she has an entire Grinch-themed party happening on her blog, with loads of kid-friendly snack and dessert ideas.
Rudolph Snack Mix from Sunshine and Hurricanes combines everyone’s favorite combination — sweet and salty — for a simple and irresistible treat. For class parties, you can premix it all together in a bowl and dole it out — don’t forget the food prep gloves! — or divide the necessary components for the desired amount of Rudolphs for each child into individual snack bags.
Holiday games and crafts for little hands
This Craft Stick Snowman Ornament from Simmworks Family Blog is an idea DIY craft for class holiday parties. The craft offers so many options for personalization, and the materials don’t involve a ton of prep before bringing the supplies into the classroom — bigger kids can even do some of the cutting on their own. Plus, moms melt for handmade ornaments from their kids.
PreKinders crafts a Jingle Bell Necklace that’s absolutely perfect for a class holiday party. Not only is it adorable, but it’s simple to make — we love her trick for keeping the beads from falling off the cord. Not only is this festive craft great for color awareness and fine motor skills, but it’s an easy way for moms to listen for their little elves sneaking into something they shouldn’t be.
Not Consumed knows party games can be easily crafted from things you already have at home, like this simple-but-crazy-fun Do You Want to Build a Snowman? game. Whether you decide to have the teams race, award a prize to the most original snowman or just make them giggle like crazy, this game can literally be thrown together in a few short minutes — perfect for busy moms. (While you’re at her blog, check out the rest of her ideas for a Frozen Family Fun Night.)
Even young children can play Bingo, especially when you’re using this Christmas Bingo game from Crazy Little Projects. The picture squares make it simple to follow, and the colorful icons are festive, fun and keep kids paying attention to what they’re trying to match. The printable is free, and it prints out the bingo cards and cards the game leader uses to call the game. Bonus? You can also download a free Christmas memory game.
